7 NFL Coaches On The Hot Seat After Week 3

The first three weeks of the 2024 NFL season are officially in the books, and while it’s probably still a bit too early to come to any firm conclusions concerning the eventual fate of the vast majority of teams, we have a clearer picture when it comes to the ones set up for success and others that are probably going to subject their fans to months of disappointment.

There’s only so much NFL coaches can do to control what happens on the field, but they obviously still play a pivotal role in their team’s performance.

As things currently stand, there are more than a few notable names who’ve struggled to get things firing on all cylinders.

All of the NFL coaches on this list have ample time to get their rear ends off of the hot seat, but they haven’t really done themselves many favors when it comes to firming up their job security three weeks into the season.

It’s hard to imagine all of these guys will end up being kicked to the curb when the season wraps up, but that will be a very real possibility if they aren’t able to right the ship sooner rather than later.

Doug Pederson—Jaguars

Doug Pederson went 9-8 in his first two seasons as the coach of the Jaguars, but it’s hard to imagine they’re going to finish with a winning record this year after dropping to 0-3 with a blowout loss to the Bills.

You could argue Trevor Lawrence has failed to live up to the lofty expectations surrounding him when Jacksonville selected the QB with the No. 1 pick in 2021, but it’s just as easy to assert Pederson has squandered his talents thanks to his inability to put together an offensive scheme that complements them.

Pederson may have won a Super Bowl with the Eagles, but at this point, it doesn’t seem like he has what it takes to secure a Lombardi Trophy anywhere in the league.

Matt Eberflus—Bears

Matt Eberflus got his first job as an NFL head coach with the Bears in 2022, and he didn’t really do much to show he deserved it over the course of two disappointing seasons defined by the struggles of Justin Fields.

It’s hard to ignore the fact that Fields has led the Steelers to a 3-0 start after being traded to Pittsburgh, and it’s hard not to blame Bears fans for fearing Eberflus is also torpedoing the potential of Caleb Williams based on how Chicago has looked while going 1-2.

Dennis Allen—Saints

Dennis Allen reportedly headed into the 2024 season on the hot seat, and it appeared to cool off a bit after the Saints got off to a 2-0 start.

However, they lost to the Eagles in a game they probably should have won and are facing what should be a hard-fought battle with a Falcons team that looks better than their 1-2 record would suggest.

That matchup precedes a showdown with the Chiefs, and there’s a very real chance New Orleans could end up dropping to 2-3—and Allen should probably start getting nervous if that ends up being the case.

Mike McCarthy—Cowboys

Jerry Jones has been pretty patient with Mike McCarthy since the skipper took over in Dallas in 2020, but at this point, it’s hard not to wonder when that patience is going to run out.

The Cowboys have finished with a 12-5 record the past three years before flaming out in the playoffs each time, and they’re sitting at 1-2 thanks to a blowout loss to the Saints and a 28-25 contest with the Ravens that was only as close as it was because the Ravens collapsed in the second half.

The Cowboys don’t really look like Super Bowl contenders, and while there’s plenty of blame to go around, McCarthy more than deserves his fair share.

Zac Taylor—Bengals

Zac Taylor got off to a rough start after the Bengals went 2-14 in his inaugural season in 2019, although they got a consolation prize in the form of the first overall draft pick they used to scoop up Joe Burrow.

The QB led the Bengals to a Super Bowl a year before they were eliminated in the AFC Championship game, but Cincinnati is currently 0-3 after starting the year at 0-2 the previous two seasons.

They still have some time to turn things around, but if they end up missing the playoffs for the third consecutive time, Taylor will probably end up becoming the scapegoat.

 

Kevin Stefanski—Browns

Kevin Stefanski was named NFL Coach of the Year for the second time in 2023, but he’s also been pretty close to the definition of average while posting a 38-32 record with the Browns since taking over in 2020.

His ability to bring a 17-year postseason drought to an end while turning Cleveland into a competent NFL team means he’s probably working with a bit more leeway than some of the other coaches on this list, but the Browns have not looked great en route to starting at 1-2.

It’s hard to envy the QB situation he’s essentially been forced to adapt to, but his job could be in danger if he can’t address the offensive woes we’ve seen so far.

Nick Sirianni—Eagles

The Eagles may be the best team on this list with a 2-1 record, but that doesn’t mean Nick Sirianni doesn’t have a reason to be worried about his future in Philadephia.

The Birds were able to pull out a win over the Saints on Sunday, but Siriaani was nonetheless subjected to some boos from members of the Philly faithful for some fourth-down decisions that could have come back to bite them.

At this point, it seems like the Eagles have adopted the “Super Bowl or bust” mentality, and there could be a changing of the guard if Sirianni isn’t able to get them over the hump in his fourth season despite his successes.